Route 59 Construction
Massive Route 59 Bridge Reconstruction in Spring Valley Expected to Conclude by Labor Day
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Route 59 in Spring Valley, New York, is shut down as the state tears up the entire roadway to rebuild a bridge. The New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) closed a busy stretch of the road — from New Clarkstown Road to around a Shell station — on June 3, according to Lohud.
Drivers should expect the closure to last through Labor Day, September 7. South Pascack Road, which runs under the bridge, is not expected to reopen until the end of October, Ithaca Journal reported.
Why the Entire Road Had to Come Up
The DOT is not just patching potholes. Workers tore up the full roadway to reconstruct the bridge that carries Route 59 over South Pascack Road. That kind of deep rebuild requires clearing the road completely, according to Record Online.
The shutdown covers a key commercial stretch of Spring Valley. The closure runs from New Clarkstown Road to near the Shell gas station. Businesses and residents along that strip have had to deal with the disruption since early June.
What the Construction Zone Looks Like From Above
Aerial views of the site show just how extensive the work is. The entire roadway is stripped down to dirt and gravel. Heavy equipment fills the corridor where traffic once flowed. The scale of the project makes clear why a simple lane shift was not an option, Utica OD reported.
The bridge itself sits at the heart of the work zone. Crews are rebuilding the structure from the ground up. Until that bridge is complete, neither Route 59 above nor South Pascack Road below can reopen safely.
Two Separate Reopening Dates Drivers Need to Know
The DOT has set different timelines for the two roads affected. Route 59 is targeted to reopen by Labor Day, September 7. South Pascack Road faces a longer wait, with an expected reopening by the end of October, according to The Times Herald.
That means South Pascack Road could stay closed for nearly five months total. The staggered timeline reflects how long it takes to finish the bridge structure and then restore the road running underneath it.
Best Detour: Use the New York State Thruway
State officials are pointing drivers toward the New York State Thruway as the best alternate route. Anyone heading toward the Airmont or Suffern area should plan to use the Thruway instead of Route 59, according to Lohud.
Local streets are not built to handle the overflow from a major arterial road like Route 59. Using the Thruway keeps traffic moving and reduces gridlock in surrounding neighborhoods. Drivers should build extra time into their commutes through at least early September.
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